TRY scorers Scott Gibbs and Kevin Morgan were both carried off injured as Swansea stormed back from a 3-10 deficit for their first Celtic League win of the season.

Skipper Gibbs went off in the fourth minute of six minutes' stoppage time with a twisted ankle.

Full-back Morgan was also a stretcher case with what coach John Connolly described last night as a "bad dead leg".

The full extent of the injuries would be known later "but Kevin won't be dancing tonight" Connolly added.

Ulster had to call on all their seven substitutes for injured players.

Outside-half David Humphreys staggered off after 55 minutes with an eye injury and his replacement Paddy Wallace was carried off in the third minute of stoppage time with an ankle injury.

Connolly said: "Rugby is developing into a very physical game. And as the game evolves, players are also that much fitter."

He added: "We were very disappointed in our defeat away to Edinburgh in our first match. But we did much better in our narrow defeat by Neath (16-20).

"There was some quality rugby today and I'm very pleased."

Ulster coach Alan Solomons said: "We were decimated by injuries.

"We did well in the first 20 minutes but then gave away two soft tries."

One Ulster insider thought Bristol referee Steve Leyshon should have penalised Swansea for a high tackle on Humphreys who was shaping like a match winner.

Arwel Thomas landed two penalties and converted one of the tries by Gibbs and Morgan to put Swansea 21-10 up at the interval. Thomas finished with 18 points, converting three of the four tries which earned a bonus point and landing four of his seven penalty attempts.

Gibbs brought the crowd to their feet with his try. His head bandaged after a third minute cut, he raced through near the left corner after Ulster had lost the ball.

Morgan's try seven minutes later was a gem. He kicked ahead as he came out of defence and chased over half way, beating full-back Bryn Cunningham.

Fireworks to welcome Swansea at the start looked like being an empty gesture as Ulster went 10-3 up in 21 minutes with Humphreys converting wing Tyrone Howe's try and kicking a penalty with his third attempt. Howe left the defence grasping thin air as he glided through and out of the reach of Morgan's attempted tackle.

Swansea faced the bright sunshine for the second half but were far from blinded as they kept up the open style which they had suddenly found in that first half.

As Morgan went off, Gavin Henson came on as a substitute left-wing while centre Steve Winn switched to full-back.

Renewed pressure brought more points as right-wing Matthew Robinson ran in from eight metres inside his own half.

Robinson showed a defender the outside and then cut in with the same pace that Morgan had shown.

And in the second minute of injury time, Payne went in at the corner for that vital fourth try to reward more slick handling.

That meant the Whites had taken the second half 17-0. Now comes a bigger task away to Munster next weekend when Ulster are home to Neath.

Swansea will keep victory in perspective in view of all the injuries affecting both sides. The Whites can take heart, however, from the performance of their pack in tight and loose.